


Death boy, golden boy

by Madame_Klancealot



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson), Crushes, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Demigods, Fights, Friendship/Love, Gay Keith (Voltron), Gods, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Lance (Voltron)-centric, Multi, Pining Lance (Voltron), Quests, Slow Burn, Socially Awkward Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-03-17 10:48:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18963727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madame_Klancealot/pseuds/Madame_Klancealot
Summary: Spotting a monster in the middle of the street wasn't exactly what Lance had planned for a day in the park. Now that Pidge has hooves for feet, she has to rush Lance to camp Half-blood, but they need help from the son of Hades.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I dunno. I love PJO, HOO and anything that Riordan writes. So, like I did with The Hunger Games, I wrote my own klance story in the PJO universe.
> 
> Keeping it real simple, and the chapters short-ish.

Lance was just having a fun day in the park with his best friend Pidge. They were throwing a frisbee back and forth on the green grass until Lance noticed something uncanny in the corner of his eye.

 

When he turned to look out on the street, he saw something. Well, something, _not human_.

 

“Hey Pidge!?” He called when he grabbed the red frisbee.

 

“Yeah?” Pidge trudged over with her crutches to Lance from the other side of the park.

 

Lance pointed a finger towards the street. “Please tell me you can see what I’m seeing.”

 

He really hoped she could see what he was seeing because that thing did _not_ look friendly.

 

“Oh gods, we need to scoot. NOW!” Pidge grabbed hold of Lance’s hand and dragged him quickly away from the park.

 

Okay, so Lance knew something was up with Pidge the first day they met. She sported crutches, and usually limped when she walked. But when she caught what Lance was pointing at in the street, she had turned into a freaking sprinter.

 

“Pidge! You can run? The hell is going on??” Lance tried to catch his breath while being pulled by his short friend, who’s feet, Lance noticed, were not feet anymore.

 

“Pidge. Where are your feet? Why do you have-are those hooves!?” Lance looked closer while they kept on running. To where, he had no idea, but he thought the run was still a good idea.

 

When he took in her legs, Lance’s blue eyes widened in horror. “You’re a donkey!?” He shouted at his best friend, who made an unpleasant grunt in front of him.

 

“Keep running, Lance! They might have already gotten your scent, we need to find a ride and get the hell outta here!” Pidge gripped her hand tighter on Lance’s wrist, dragging him towards the subway.

 

“I don’t understand! Scent? What do you- oh shit! That thing is following us!!!!” Lance was screaming now when he turned to look back for one second and caught a horrifying looking monster with wings flying after them, screeching his name.

 

“Damn all the gods, I knew this day would come but not like this. Why is it always me…?” Pidge had muttered, and they found the stairs down to the subway. “Come on, this way. They won’t follow us down here...I hope.” She pulled Lance down the stairs, not caring about the other passers by who were walking up and down the steps, and moved aside when Pidge yelled at them to make way.

 

A train was just about to leave, but Pidge managed to pull Lance even harder and run even faster as they made it inside the train right before the doors slid closed.

 

Catching their breaths, and surprisingly, Lance didn’t feel as out of breath as he thought, he grabbed hold of a handle on the ceiling. “Pidge! What. Was. That. Thing!?” He screamed, but the others on the train were giving the two of them weird looks so his next question was quieter this time. “And why are you a donkey, and how come no one else has noticed...the monster?”  He said the last part through his teeth.

 

Lance’s brain was spinning, his eyes going dizzy and mouth going dry from panting too much out of fright.

 

“I can’t say much here...but the mist...the mist helps mortals not see what they shouldn't see. Like that fury. You me...I’m not a donkey, I’m a satyr, and I’m your protector. A little gratitude for saving you would be nice.” She sputtered, crossing her arms.

 

“A satyr? Like in greek mythology...I’m not following. That’s all made up? They’re stories..” Lance tried to wrack his brain of how much he knew about greek mythology. Not much, he decided, furrowing his thin brown brows really hard, almost giving himself a new headache.

 

“Right now, all you need to know is that you’re not a human, Lance. And I need to get you to the camp, and stat before-”

 

Something heavy hit the train. All the lights went out and everyone on the train started to scream and panic. “Dammit, so close. Are you good with a sword?” Pidge asked, finding a pen to hand to him.

 

“This...is a pen! Pidge did I hit you with the frisbee!?”

 

“Just take it, and uncap it. I hope you’re stronger than you look..”

 

“What’s that supposed-” And he uncapped the pen, and in a split second Lance was holding a bronze sword. “Holy mother of…”

 

“When I say now..you swing that sword so hard like your life depends on it.” Which in reality, it did.

 

“How does that sound remotely-” And through the train window, a monster crashed through.

 

It was horrifying. Like something that came out of Lance’s nightmares. He gripped the sword’s handle tightly with both hands, holding its point up towards the monster who looked quite hungry, mouth open and drool oozing out of it.

 

Lance made a grimace with his face when he took in the monster’s face. “Piiidge?” He shouted her name waiting for her call.

 

“Any second….any..” The monster launched towards Lance. “NOW!”

 

And Lance swung the bronze sword with all his might, knowing his life counted on it and hit the monster. When he opened his eyes, the monster had turned into dust, and relief washed all over him as the lights went back on in the train and the people looked confused while trying to take in what really happened.

 

“Come on, we’re gonna have to find a different form of transportation.” Pidge pulled on Lance’s t-shirt and they ran out of the train when the doors opened.

 

They found a secluded alley, and Pidge fished a gold coin from her back pocket. “Great, I could use some grub after that sesh…” Pidge shushed him and threw the coin in a puddle, clapping her hands together and muttered some words.

 

Lance had to blink a couple times to take in that there were people’s faces floating in thin air. “Wha-? Pidge, care to explain…” By now, Lance was worn out and tired. Nothing else could possibly surprise him.

 

“It’s an iris message. I need to let Coran know that we’re coming...he doesn’t like people coming unannounced.” Pidge rolled her eyes.

 

“Hello? Oh! Pidgeon, so nice to see you, it’s been a tick.” A man with orange wavy hair, and a huge mustache took over the screen made of mist.

 

“Hey, Coran. We were just chased by a fury, but we got it.” She looked at Lance with a triumphant smile. “So I need to like bring Lance here back to camp. Seems like our suspicions are confirmed. He’s a half-blood, not sure who’s his parent, but we’ll find out soon enough. We’ll be there by sun down.” Pidge’s tone was one of boredom like she had been waiting for this day to come and it took a bit longer than she thought.

 

“Righty-O. I’ll let the boys in the Hermes cabin know they’re getting a new cabin mate. Can you pick up Keith on the way, too. He’s in the area checking for monsters. Seems like you two took care of it.” Coran was really close up in the iris message, like a dad trying out a cell phone, and Pidge was not having it with this old geezer.

 

“Yeah sure. Let’im know we’re coming, see you soon.”

 

“Cherri-”

 

Pidge waved away the iris message, adjusting her round glasses. “Okay. We need to get to the camp before sun down, or else we’re dog meat. Literally.”

 

It was obvious to see on Lance’s face that he too, was not having it. “And how the hell do we get to this camp you keep talking about?” He asked, looking around for any more foes.

 

He was still shaken up from slashing a treacherous looking winged monster that had no eyes and tentacles for hair. Let’s just say, it’ll take a while to forget. Let alone that the pen Pidge gave him wasn’t exactly a pen.

 

Pidge made a smirk and gestured for Lance to follow her out to the street. “By bus of course. Oh, and we need to find Keith, too. He won’t be hard to spot. Just follow the stink of death and he’ll be there.”

 

“Right…So off to camp we go?” Lance chimed, or tried to, he knew his mother would become worried, but his life depended, apparently, on Pidge getting him to this camp. His voice was still a little shaky, and his legs kind of wobbled when he walked towards the nearest bus stop, but he wasn’t going to stick around and become dog meat.  

 

Pidge nodded back. “Off to camp we go! Wait till Keith gets a load of you.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

On the bus, Pidge had found her sneakers from her bag and put them on hiding her hooves. 

 

“We should talk about the elephant in the room.” Lance said, pointing to her white Nikes. 

 

Pidge made a half smile, waving her feet from the seat they were sitting on. She was really short. “I bet it gave you a fright.” 

 

“Not as much as the fury. Man, am I gonna have nightmares. Please tell me it doesn’t get worse than that…” 

 

Pidge stayed quiet. Instead, she landed a hand on Lance’s shoulder. “You did good today, Lance. We had been following you for a while, thinking that you had to be a half-blood. Coran picked up on you six months ago and sent me. If you hadn’t been suspected, we’d never meet.” 

 

Lance smiled, knowing how grateful he was to finally have a friend at his fourth school he transferred to. 

 

Lately, during the past two years, his mother had been moving around the state to find a good enough school for Lance. But wherever he wounded up, trouble always followed him. But, it wasn’t until now that he understood why. 

 

At his latest school, St. Bowers Academy, Lance became friends with Pidge. She was two years younger than him, but she was so smart that she got to take all of the same classes Lance took. 

 

Even if she was only 13, tiny and did really remind you of a pigeon, she had guts, and was tough as nails. Always standing up for Lance when someone wanted to pick on him. Throwing colorful words out to them if Lance had problems with his dyslexia while reading out loud in class. 

 

The worst part was his ADHD. At times, he couldn’t control how unstable his  body became. During his periods at his last three schools, if someone irked him or troubled him until his blood boiled, his fists would shoot out hitting faces, and his legs would be flying into stomachs. Violence was never the key, but according to Lance’s body, that lived its own life, it was. 

 

“You keep calling me that...A half-blood. Makes it sound like my dad might be a god or something…” Lance looked out the window. The sky was turning grayer and darker by the minute, and he was positive that something was starting to smell fishy. Deadly fishy. 

 

Pidge flared her nostrils. “You smell that too, huh. Looks like Keith is close. We’ll get off at the next stop and he can shadow travel us all to the camp...Hopefully, we don’t meet anything dangerous on the way.” 

 

Ignoring Lance’s question, he pursed his lips to the side not understanding a single word coming out of his best friend’s mouth.  _ Shadow travel?  _ Like travel through shadows? Literally? 

 

He had to close his eyes hard to calm down, thinking about his mother, and whenever Lance was afraid she would bake him his favorite cookies and eat vanilla ice cream with it and watch his favorite movie. 

 

“Lance?” He felt Pidge’s hand on his shoulder again, catching her worried stare. Her honey-colored eyes were glazed by the darkness of the sky, and looked magnified from her round glasses. “Nothing, I’m fine. Err, as fine as I can be right now. This is all a little too much to take in at the moment, and you haven’t even told me anything yet.” He tried to laugh it off as a joke, but he knew serious things were to come. 

 

The bus stopped at its next stop, Pidge tugged on Lance’s blue and white t-shirt. “Come on, he’s probably at the cemetery.” 

 

_ Cemetery? _ Lance didn’t know who this Keith guy was, but from the looks of it, and the hints Pidge was dropping all the time, he must have something to do with death. And from the little Lance knew about greek mythology, death was only linked to one god. 

 

Hades. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Death boy, meet golden boy.

Keith didn't look like death. In fact, Lance thought he looked less like death and more like, well, his cheeks were burning like hell when he looked at Keith that’s what he knew. Thinking about hell, maybe Keith was Hades’ son. 

 

He had black hair with thick bangs covering his face, and a cowlick sweeping the nape of his neck, like a mullet. Lance liked the look of his fair complexion and porcelain skin, despite the long scar riding along his right cheek. It’s point started from the top of his cheek and dragged all the way down past his jaw line. 

 

The scar was so entrancing, Lance almost felt like touching it. 

 

When they locked eyes, Lance didn’t know whether to look away from his threatening demeanor, or to keep on staring into the gray storm that was building up in his irises, and he could have sworn there were sparkles of purple floating around in that storm. He felt like writing a poem about the color of his eyes, no, a haiku would be perfect, he thought. 

 

“So, this is the new guy?” Keith zipped up his red hoodie, punching his hands in the pocket. 

Lance didn’t like the tone of his voice, and the way he was looking at him. He planted his hands on his hips. “Name’s Lance, thank you very much. Mullet.” 

 

“What did you call me?” Keith dragged a sleeve up to his elbow, ready to start a fight. 

 

On cue, Keith’s cowlick swished when he turned his face to look at Lance. He wondered if the bounce implied he used a lot of conditioner. “Your hair, you have a mullet. Therefore, son of Hades, I assume, you will now be dubbed, Mullet.” 

 

Pidge plastered a hand on Lance’s mouth after he mentioned the death god’s name, so that last part about Keith’s hair came out all muffled. “Do not say a god’s name out loud like that. You do not want to upset a god!” She hissed out, slowly dragging her hand away when Lance nodded to her warning. 

 

“And why can’t we say gods’ names now??” 

 

“It’s disrespectful. Next time you feel like throwing my dad’s name out like that, make sure it’s of importance. Or else.” 

 

“Or else, what?” Lance crossed his arms, tilting his head and sighed annoyingly. 

 

“Just or else...you don’t wanna know what’s beyond else.” Keith warned. 

 

Lance was sick of warnings. “Okay, fine! Are you two finally going to explain what’s going on, and who I am, and what this camp is and who the orange haired guy who talks funny is?” 

 

Keith and Pidge shared a look, one that indicated that they knew he would bombard them with so many questions, like they had done this before. 

 

“All in good time, demigod.” Keith held out his hands towards the dirt on the ground. 

 

_ Demigod?  _ First he’s being called a half-blood and now a demigod.  _ Make up your minds, _ Lance slumped his shoulders in defeat. 

 

Keith’s hands were wearing fingerless gloves, and Lance felt like Keith was making a fashion statement by wearing those gloves since no one, absolutely no one could make fingerless gloves look that good. 

 

“Stand back you two, I’m still a little weak, had to take out a demogorgon before Coran messaged me. You’re welcome by the way.” Keith lifted his brows waiting for some gratitude, but Lance still didn’t like his tone. 

 

He stretched his fingers tightly, shutting his eyes to focus. A cloud of darkness, shadows, Lance assumed, took form. The cloud swirled in front of them, and Lance thought he saw something through the black, misty substance. 

 

“Okay, we don’t have much time. Lance, you go first. Then Pidge. I’ll meet you guys on the other side.” Keith smirked, still holding his arms out towards the cloud. 

 

Lance was hesitant at first. His legs refusing to budge when he stared at the blackness of the cloud. Everything happening was new, and scary as hell, but it was also exciting almost like he could feel a burst of warmth coming from the sky shining down on him. 

 

The burst of warmth helped calm his nerves, like someone was looking over him from the sky and he stepped through the cloud, and found himself stepping onto grass and looking out at what looked like, a campsite. 

 

Behind him Pidge bumped into his back, and Keith following suit, dusting off the particles of the shadow cloud and gripping his hands into fists to evaporate the cloud. 

 

Keith broke his hold and started tumbling on his legs. Lucky for him, Lance grabbed him under his shoulders. “Keith, hey death boy, you okay?” He heard Lance’s voice, but he was still too weak from making the portal. 

 

“We should get him to the medic camp, they have the ambrosia stored there.” Pidge made a nod to follow her. 

 

“Ambrosia?” Confusion flashed on Lance’s face again when new, unfamiliar words caught his ears. 

 

“Just come on. Can you carry Keith?” Lance stared up at the sun and felt his strength growing, and lifted Keith on to his back. He nodded at Pidge when Keith didn’t start falling off Lance’s back. 

 

In the medic cabin, boys and girls wandered around the beds with injured kids who looked either older or younger than Lance. “Why are they hurt? What kind of camp is this? Didn’t Keith say he fought some kind of demo-something?” 

 

Pidge took a goblet of ambrosia from one of the kids in the medic camp, and poured some of the golden liquid into Keith’s mouth. Within a couple seconds Keith started coughing, pushing quickly up from the mattress. “Dad! I’m!” He fluttered his lids and furrowed his black brows when he saw Lance’s face. “Oh, it’s you…” He muttered, stretching his body and grabbing the goblet from Pidge. 

 

“Hey...I just wanted to make sure you didn’t die making that cloud thingy! What happened in your slumber, sleeping beauty? Looks like someone misses their daddy.” Lance knew he didn’t like this guy, but he still felt like something was up with him and wanted to stay close. 

 

“None your business. I get these dreams sometimes, it’s normal.” Keith gulped the rest of the ambrosia, wiping away any dribble from his lips. Lance was staring at him while he drank. “What?” 

 

Lance cleared his throat, startled that Keith caught him staring. “Nothing..dreams, right. So, nightmares?” 

 

Keith nodded. “They’ve been getting worse the past week, I dunno if it’s a sign or if they’re visions. We’ll just see if the oracle has something to say about it...nothing to do until then.”

 

Lance took the hint when Keith grabbed his covers and rolled to the otherside of the bed, faced away from Lance. 

 

“Thanks for getting us here, death boy.” Lance whispered, and turned to find Pidge shouting his name. 

 

“Coran wants to see you! Come on! Leave Keith alone, he hates company anyways.” 

 

One last look at Keith’s resting body, and Lance made his way to finally meet Coran. He had no idea what was installed for him. 


	4. Chapter 4

Lance had never been the biggest fan of horses so when he met Coran, he wasn’t sure how to react when he took in a half-man- half-horse playing ping pong with a green skinned girl.

 

“Ahh Pigeon! Good, you made it. Have a seat you two.” Coran finished off the match with a last slam at the ball and the green skinned girl huffed before leaving the tent.

 

“Rematch tomorrow Shay! No one likes a sore loser!” Mud had suddenly appeared from thin air and landed on Coran’s back. “Pish posh, that girl was never one to play games with, I dunno what Hunk sees in her.”

 

Lance was pointing fingers. First at the girl who now left in a losing rage, and then at Coran tracing his lower half. “Earth nymph.” Coran pointed towards the exit, dusting off the mud on his back.

 

“Centaur.” He then pointed to himself.  Or more specifically, to his lower half that was a horse’s body, sans head. He chuckled at Lance’s surprised expression, mustache twitching along.

 

“No need to worry young Lonce, we will fill you in with everything we can. First, you’re probably wondering about your mother.”

 

Lance nodded vigorously. His mother was a single mother, and she worked as a preschool teacher, and loved Lance with all of her heart. Surely she would be a worried wreck by now.

 

“We’ve told her that you’ve made it safely to camp, and that you can see her when the summer’s over.”

 

“But what about the rest of the school year? It’s May, there’s like two months left…”

 

“No need. We’ve given them a fax that states your whereabouts and that you will be using the rest of the school year in a different location due to a special program. That school was happy to get rid of you.” Coran pretty much owned no remorse for his new camper.

 

His last comment stung Lance, “Wait, so my mother knows about this stuff. Like she knew I’d end up here, wherever _here_ is!” He then exclaimed loudly, still in shock about everything going on.

 

“Precisely, when she learned who your father was, she knew she would have to protect you. We contacted her when we had our suspicions about you and told her that once they gained your scent, you would be taken here since it’s the safest place to be.”

 

“And where is here!?”

 

Coran made a proud face, a smile tugging so wide there wasn’t much face left to fill. “Why, Camp Half-Blood of course!”

 

“Of course..” Lance muttered. “Wait, there’s that words again, half-blood. Death boy called me a demigod too, and Pidge mentioned greek mythology...this is all too much...can I get a little of that ambrosia stuff, seemed to help death boy.”

 

A hearty laugh filled the tent, and Coran trotted to the other side of the room, urging Pidge to go find the others. She nodded to him and pranced off out of the tent.

 

“So my best friend’s a goat.” Lance pointed out, “Keith is the son of...well the guy who watches over death. My mom slept with some dude who she never wanted to tell me his name...and is apparently also a...god?” Lance stared at Coran with a questionable expression.

 

“I believe so. You were able to uncap Riptide, and not many demigods can do that. You’re a strong one, Lonce. No one has been able to summon the sword since we've retrieved it at least. ”

 

There was an ounce of honor finding Lance’s chest when he heard from Coran that he was strong. Lance never felt strong, he always felt weak and out of place wherever he was because no one took him seriously, and everyone wanted to pick a fight with him.

 

“But who- who’s my dad?” His lips tugged into a frown, his hands fidgeting on the table.

 

Before Coran could say anything, other campers started to spill into the large tent. “I’m afraid we’re gonna have to wait until he chooses to claim you, young chap. Now let’s meet the camp leaders!”

 

The camp leaders were the strongest, smartest and most tactical of the whole camp. Usually, Coran would want a leader for each cabin, but since there were so many greek gods who claimed their children today, it would be a nightmare to have so many leaders under one roof and to fill an entire table. Let alone all the bickering that would happen amongst a bunch of kids, Coran knew he would never take it.

 

Instead, they went with merit. Those who proved most worthy of the camp through battles, quizzes, quests and taken down most monsters, they would become part of the camp council.

 

When all the kids had found their places around the round table, Coran trotted to the top of the tent and clapped his hands in an excited delighted manner.

 

“We can start from the left.” Coran gestured a human hand to the chunky brown skinned boy.

 

“Hey, I’m Hunk. Son of Hephaestus.” Hunk made a sweet face and waved to Lance.

 

Then a white haired girl with a darker complexion smiled brightly. “Pleasure, I’m Allura. Daughter of Athena.”

 

An older beefy looking boy with black hair and a white tuft grinned. “Shiro, son of Aphrodite.” Lance felt intimidated by the boy’s sudden beauty, and how the scar across his nose made him look even prettier.

 

Next to him, a boy the same age as Shiro with the same complexion as Lance but had more golden hair and glasses, looking lovingly at Shiro focused back to the group. “Adam! Son of Ares.” He winked at Lance.

 

Then Pidge made a wave. “You already know me!”

 

And lastly, Keith.

 

He was looking much better after being wiped out from creating a shadow portal to their camp. His cheeks had more color in them, or more than usual, and his hair was smoothed down, even though his cowlick was living its own life. “Keith...son of Hades.” He didn’t look Lance in the eyes, arms crossed like he didn’t want to be here.

 

“And I am Coran. I am head camp leader. I make sure all the campers here at Camp Half-Blood feel at home. If there is anything, young Lonce, don’t hesitate to ask me. But know that you can ask anyone here around this table, too. Also, our second, Slav, is around here somewhere. When I am not around the camp, you may refer yourself to him.”

 

Everyone who introduced themselves, except Keith, nodded along to Coran’s words. The white haired girl Allura smiled brightly, and Lance felt a slight tug in his chest. But when he looked over to Keith, the warmth he felt earlier, that warmth that made him strong, it was wide spreading all over his body. It felt, nice, eerily enough.

 

“Alright!” Coran clapped his hands twice. “Keith! I’m assigning you as Lonce’s guide for the first week. Now everyone back to what you were doing, and make sure Lonce feels welcome. We’ll meet by the campfire for dinner, and talk strategy for tomorrow’s game.”

 

And with that, everyone left the tent.

 

Keith, Lance and Pidge stayed behind.

 

“Coran!!” Keith growled. “I am not babysitting this kid!”

 

“Hey! We’re like the same age!” Lance countered.

 

“Oh, how old are you, 14?”

 

“15...almost 16!”

 

Keith laughed menacingly, “I’m already 16, that makes me your senior. Now you have to listen to me!”

 

“But I thought you were arguing to not babysit me..make up your mind, death boy.”

 

“Stop calling me that, golden boy!”

 

“No need to make up new names, death boooooy.”

 

“Golden boy!”

 

“Death boy!”

 

Coran trotted in between the two boys who had their foreheads locked like bulls now.

 

“Enough, you two! It’s like you said, Keith. You’re 16. Now act like it. Take Lonce to the Hermes cabin and show him his bunk. We’ll meet for dinner.”

 

Keith made an annoyed noise and dragged Lance with him. “And don’t rip each other’s heads off!”

 

“I bet you both their heads will be off during the end of the games tomorrow.” Pidge held up a golden drachma coin.

 

Coran snickered. “I won’t hold you against that bet.” And clinked his own coin against hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are always a joy. ^_^


	5. Chapter 5

 

“Why am I in the Hermes cabin if Hermes isn’t even my father?” Lance was sitting on the bunk Keith showed him, holding an orange t-shirt the son of the death god handed him, both arms and legs crossed, a look of anger finding his tan face. 

 

“He might be your father, we don’t know yet. But we place all the new campers in the Hermes cabin, it’s just always been this way. When your god parent claims you, you get to move. Now don’t complain, those who are sons or daughters of Hermes aren’t of the nicer sort...since well, their dad is kind of weird and sketchy. And put your t-shirt on, we all have to wear them...” Keith’s voice was turned down low in case any children of Hermes caught him talking smack about them.

 

“So these gods...how are they able to have so many kids? And the women gods, how can they be pregnant with that many kids and give birth and...ugh, my brain is frying up.” Lance lied down on the bed, staring at the roof. 

 

Keith made a nice laugh. “I recommend not to ask too many questions. Some can be explained, while others, well they’ll fry your brain.” 

 

“Who do you think my dad is?” Lance suddenly asked, leaning himself on his elbows, contemplating to put on the orange t-shirt in front of Keith, or wait until later. 

 

Keith made a quizzical look, thinking and staring hard at Lance. 

 

Lance felt a brush of heat tinge his cheeks when he noticed how hard Keith was staring at him. He wondered what Keith thought about when he took in the bronze of his complexion, the splatter of freckles dotting his nose, the blue hues of his ocean eyes and his long, lanky figure. 

 

“Well?” He pressed Keith. 

 

Keith shook his head a couple times, a bloom of red painting his cheeks. “Uhh...I dunno. The children of Apollo are quite attractive - er, I have no idea! Look at that it’s almost dinner. Maybe we should head to the campfire?” 

 

Did Keith just call him attractive? Lance made a sly smirk at Keith, and he saw his cheeks turn even redder. “Let’s hope I’m a son of Apollo then.” He said under his breath, smiling wistfully to himself. 

 

\--

 

Around the campfire, tables were spread and campers were occupying them divided by god parent. Lance was sitting at the Hermes table, orange t-shirt on with the words  _ Camp Half-Blood _ printed on it just like everyone else at the camp. 

 

The table he sat at was super long, and the children of Hermes, he noticed, would not stop talking, so he took a view around the other tables and spotted an emo kid, refusing to wear the orange t-shirt and instead was still wearing his red hoodie, sitting alone. 

 

He nudged a random camper with long, white-blonde hair, and a permanent looking frown on his face. “Hey, why is Keith sitting alone?” 

 

The camper rolled his eyes when he spotted where Keith was sitting. “He’s the only son of the death god. There’s been rumors of a sister, but no one’s found her...she’s either in hiding or it’s just that, a rumor.” 

 

Lance tried to enjoy his dinner. He nudged the same camper again, hearing an annoyed sound escape him this time. “Like, do we have to sit with our cabin? Can I go sit somewhere else?” 

 

The camper shrugged his shoulders. “Hey, your parent hasn’t claimed you yet. I’d say, you do you. Don’t think Coran’s going to shout at you or anything. Maybe Allura, but that’s because she loves being organized.” The camper wiggled his fingers at Allura, Lance rolled his eyes. 

 

And with that answer, Lance grabbed his plate of dinner and made his way over to Keith. “Hey, death boy. Thought you might want some company.” He caught Keith’s surprised look and made a small laugh. 

 

“Lance! I don’t think you’re supposed to sit here with me.” Keith stabbed his dinner, looking flushed, or that could be the reflection of the fire. 

 

“No need. I don’t have a godly parent yet, I can do whatever, and you- you looked lonely.” Lance admitted, staring down at his plate of food, but looked at Keith through a side glance hoping he won’t get caught. 

 

For the first time since they met, Lance caught a smile on Keith’s gloomy face, and his heart was suddenly doing jumping jacks. “Thanks...I guess. But, I like being alone.” 

 

“You sure about that? I heard you might have a sister, don’t you want to find her?” 

 

Keith dropped his fork on the plate letting loose a sharp breath from his nose. “So you've heard? It’s sort of a long story...but to keep it short and simple.” He picked up his fork again, pointing it at Lance, “This is just between you and me since you’re only the second person to show interest.” 

 

Lance swallowed a gulp, holding up his hands as defense and nodded at Keith. He caught his coal eyes sparking and a ghost of a smile crossing his fair face, Lance didn’t know how to react but his stomach was doing things on its own and it was making Lance sick. 

 

“Listen man, if it’s too personal, you don’t have to tell me..” Lance moved his eyes from Keith’s face and noticed something hanging around his neck. “What’s that?” He pointed to the necklace with four different colored beads threaded to the string. 

 

Keith furrowed his black brows and dipped his head down to his necklace, holding it out for Lance to inspect. “This? Everyone gets one. The beads represent how many summer’s you’ve stayed at Camp Half-Blood.” 

 

“So you’ve been here four summers?” Lance took a new bite of his dinner. 

 

Keith shook his head. “No. I’ve been here four years. I- what I was going to tell you about me having sister, golden boy..” Keith grabbed his goblet and drained its contents, heaving out a refreshed noise. “Is that I have no family. At least no blood relative family that I remember. Shiro..” He now pointed at the attractive beefy looking boy sitting over at the Aphrodite table which was basically a beauty pageant having a ball. 

 

Lance nodded and urged Keith to go on. “He found me in a place called The Lotus Hotel four years ago. Apparently, I had been there for more than fifty years.”

 

“Wait a second, wait a second!” Lance had shot his eyebrows past his forehead, at least it felt that way when Keith broke out the news. “You’re saying you’re like 66 years old? Should I be calling you death man?” 

 

From that comment, Keith actually made a nice laugh and Lance was happy he made him laugh like that. 

 

“In a sense, I guess. But in the Lotus Hotel, time stands still. I don’t remember even setting foot in there, and if I do have a sister then she must have gone there with me. But-”

 

“But?” 

 

“Someone must have found her before Shiro found me? At night when I go to sleep, I mentioned that I get these dreams-”

 

“Visions?” Lance remembered. 

 

Keith nodded. “Yeah, I like to think they’re visions. Since my dad. He shows me things that happened in the hotel, and at times I feel like I see her...my sister. Still, she could have been a random girl I made friends with.” 

 

Hearing Keith’s story made Lance feel a sudden pang in his chest, like he wanted to lasso the sun and keep him warm. “So you don’t remember anything from being stuck for fifty years?” 

 

“Not much at least. I know it had everything a 12 year old boy could ever dream of, and things I never knew existed. Not only that, the place expanded and developed throughout the times and things turned out to be newer and newer by the second. I feel lucky since I’m actually from late 60s, escaping the hotel and adjusting to this age was no problem, because the hotel had everything from this time period. But, other things are foggy…” Keith made an infectious chuckle. 

 

“What’s so funny?” Lance caught his smile and felt his own lips curve. 

 

“Foggy- the mist. Fine, you’re new. The others probably haven’t explained all the details to you. The mist hides this world from mortals, people who have no connection to the greek world. So when we see monsters, they might see a robber. And when you use weapons like swords, bows, spears; the mortals see guns, knives, things they can relate to and not freak out about.” 

 

Lance thought Keith was really good at explaining this stuff to him, but it was hard to concentrate on what he was saying because his coal colored eyes sparkled and dazzled from the reflection of the campfire, and all Lance thought about in that moment was that haiku he wanted to write. 

 

“Lance?” Keith was waving a gloved hand in front of his distracted face. 

 

“Lonce!” Coran boomed loudly throughout the whole campfire site, and caught everyone’s, even Lance’s, attention. “Lonce, where are- ahh, sitting with your guide, good choice my boy! Come, come.” Coran looked tall and proud since he had a horse’s ass as the lower half of his body, but he gestured his human hand to follow him and stand in the middle of the site so that everyone could get a good look at him. 

 

“Seriously, death boy, do I have to? I don’t know if I want all this attention..” Lance muttered in Keith’s ear. 

 

All Keith did was laugh again and nudged for him to go on to Coran. “I’m thinking quite the contrary, golden boy.” 

 


	6. Chapter 6

Fine, so being the center of attention didn’t feel as bad as Lance thought it would be. With all eyes on him, he almost felt like breaking out into a contemporary dance and profess his undying love to one of the gorgeous boys or girls around the Aphrodite table. 

 

He knew Shiro was taken, that could be seen from a million miles away, and from what he knew about the war god Ares, he knew to stay far, far away. Even looking at the Ares table brought trouble, they did not look like nice kids. In fact, when Lance caught the look of one of the more burly looking girls at the table, she made that slice your throat sign at Lance and smiled menacingly. That boy Adam though, the kid who was obviously together with Shiro, he was smiling happily at Lance, something Lance found oddly peculiar because Ares kids were like the girl, and Adam was looking like a kid you’d want to be friends with. 

 

Lance’s attention was caught when he heard Coran shout his name again with that funny accent. 

 

He cut his gaze to look up at the human part of Coran’s body. He was wearing a blue and white tight tunic that looked like it was made for a warrior, he actually looked pretty tough, but whenever he opened his mouth, he understood why Pidge always seemed so fed up with him.

 

“Now then.” Coran began, and clapped again, loudly this time catching everyone’s attention as the chatter around the table started to disintegrate into a quiet state of waiting. “It is with my humble pleasure to welcome our newest camper to Camp Half-Blood! Out protector Pidge has been on mission these past 6 months to find out if this young lad here is one of us. Delightfully, he has proved to have the blood of the gods coursing through his veins, and he has been proven worthy of power by summoning the sword Anaklusmos!” Coran beamed with honor and pride at that last segment. 

 

Lance was thinking that this was a little too over the top, and the other campers might be expecting great things from him just because he was able to press the cap of a pen. 

 

Not to seem rude, since his mother taught him that manners can take him a long way, he held a hand up in greeting wearing a sheepish smile to the clapping campers who were welcoming him. He spotted the white haired girl, Allura, and his unsteady smile straightened to the point that he put on his winning smile, and he wanted to think she made a blush, but it was too dark to tell. 

 

“Now. We have no clue who his godly parent is, but he will remain bunked with the Hermes children until further notice. Unless-” Coran peered down to Lance, his mustache twitching with a new suggestion. 

 

“Unless?” Lance quirked a brow up, eyes twinkling with curiosity. What went on in this horse’s head besides carrots maybe, Lance was thinking, having a stare down with the head leader of this weird camp. 

 

Everyone went back to their evening chattering, eating up their dinner and drinking their goblets containing the orangey-gold liquid. 

 

Coran had bent down to Lance’s level, smiling insightfully at the bronze skinned boy. 

 

“Unless you would like to bunk with Keith until further notice.” His gray eyes cut to the lonely boy playing with his food, head leaned on the palm of his hand. 

Lance followed Coran’s gaze and stared at Keith too. He thought it wasn’t a wise idea knowing how much they’ve already bickered, but during their talk through dinner, Keith seemed- well he seemed nice to be around, and Lance wouldn’t mind knowing more about him, and maybe, maybe help him with his lost sister case. 

 

A soft smile traced Lance’s face without him thinking about it.

 

“That looks like a positive?” Coran winked at Lance. 

 

Lance only nodded once, raising a hand to his left cheek to try and cool the heat burning onto it. 

 

“Then it’s settled! Go back to Keith, you two can plan strategies for tomorrow’s game!” Coran lifted his body up to full height, he was so tall, Lance was scared he was going to trample him if he ever done him wrong. 

 

_ Never upset horse dude,  _ Lance decided. 

 

“What is tomorrow’s game?” Lance asked before going back to Keith. 

 

Lance was thinking about what kids did at summer camps. Like going canoeing, or different sports, hiking. But at Camp Half-Blood, a camp for children of the gods, and thinking back to the injured kids at the medic camp, he had regretted asking Coran now. 

 

“Why, capture the flag! We have a game every other week! They love it. You might say some even have a real blast.” Coran chuckles wildly at the mention of blast. That could not mean anything good, Lance thought. 

 

“Why only every other week since it’s so popular? Isn’t it just two teams trying to steal the other team’s flag and bring it back to their base?” Again, Lance had to stop asking these questions. 

 

Coran made a humming noise, contemplating how much he wanted to tell his new camper. “Wait and see, young chap. Oh, and a word of advice.” 

 

Lance perked up, wondering what kind of advice a horse man could give him. 

 

“Make sure to always have someone on your six, and keep that pen on you at all times. You’re going to need it.” He winked again, and trotted off to the nymphs, probably to ask for a rematch in ping pong. 

 

Lance felt around his jeans for the pen Pidge gave him. But he couldn’t remember even keeping the pen after slashing the monster. He was traumatized at the time, and thinking about keeping a pen close to him was not on his mind at all. 

 

When his hand patted his front right pocket, he felt something long and skinny that might resemble the form of a pen. He jabbed his hand in his pocket, gripped the item and pulled out the same pen Pidge had given him in the subway train. 

 

“Cool that you can summon Anaklusmos.” Lance twirled on his heel to catch Keith behind him. 

 

“Death boy! Is dinner done?” Lance looked around and the area had been cut down to half of the campers. 

 

He felt a gloved hand grip his own hand causing shivers ride up and down his spine. “Keeeith, what the-” 

 

Keith swiped the pen out of Lance’s grip, inspecting it with his coal eyes, a purse forming on his very defined lips, Lance felt entranced by the sight. 

 

He noticed Keith gripping the pen with his hand, thumb on the cap ready to press it down. 

 

What happens if he can uncap the sword? Lance didn’t know if the sword was for everyone to share, or if the uncapper gets to keep it. Only one way to find out. 

 

Keith pressed with his thumb. Nothing happened, and his pursed lips only pursed deeper, shooting to the side in disappointment. “Guess, I’m too dark to uncap it…” He said matter of factly giving the pen back to Lance. 

 

“What do you mean?” 

 

Keith had his hands back in his red hoodie. Lance noticed a hint of orange popping through from under the hood. So he did wear his t-shirt, Lance smiled at how Keith wanted to belong here despite being the loner of the camp. 

 

He made a dark look at Lance, his coal eyes turning black, his aura turning into a dark purple, or so Lance wanted to assume, he didn’t know he could even read people’s auras. 

 

“Anaklusmos can only be summoned by the worthy, those of light and goodness inside of them. Only two other people have been able to summon the sword. Perseus Jackson and his father Poseidon. And looking at you, you don’t look like a son of Poseidon, so this is of utmost interest.” A coy smile curled on Keith’s lips, and Lance felt threatened for a split second. 

 

Keith’s whole presence shifted back to the lone death boy. “Anyways. Time to hit the hay, tomorrow’s game is going to be interesting.” He had his hands behind his head walking towards his cabin. 

 

Lance stared at the capped bronze colored pen, thinking about who had been able to summon it from before and where and who this Perseus dude was and if he still existed. But looking at Keith’s back, his cowlick curled flamboyantly, and stride proud, Lance thought that Keith oozed of strength and wondered how he couldn’t summon the sword. 

 

Shaking his head, he ran after Keith to join him in their cabin. 

 

“Dude. Why are you here, you sleep with the Hermes kids.” They both stood outside the entrance to the Hades cabin. It looked like any of the other cabins, except this one did seem like a haunted house, or a more refined one, but it still had that nightmarish presence standing outside it. 

 

Lance wasn’t sure if there was an extra bunk in the cabin, but he didn’t have any belongings, only his clothes and himself, and going back to those chitter chatters was not appealing at all. “Coran said I could bunk with you.” He smiled happily, waltzing inside the cabin without permission. 

 

“He said WHAT!?” 


	7. Chapter 7

“Hey...death boy, you still awake?” 

 

Lance couldn’t sleep. Too much had happened to him during the last 24 hours. His head was still spinning, and his ADHD was not making things better for his loss of sleep. Not only that, he was missing his mother. 

 

Keith made a low growl, turning around in his bunk, facing Lance who was in the bunk on the other side of the room. “I am now..what is it?” 

 

So Keith liked sleep, Lance decided. He decided the moment he caught Keith’s tired death glare to bite back retorting that  _ sleep like the dead _ expression to him. 

 

“Who is that Percy kid? I can’t stop thinking about it. You said he was a son of Poseidon, like the water god, but you said I didn’t look like a son of Poseidon...so why has the pen chosen me?” 

 

Lance knew he could have spared asking these questions till morning, but the lack of sleep was getting to him, and he wanted company. Not only that, he really liked listening to Keith's calm and soothing voice when he spoke, like he cared. 

 

“From what I know, and heard in the stories or the books about him-”

 

“There are books about him!?” Lance could feel the pressure building up, what if he needed to become such a grand hero that someone was willing to write books about him..

 

“Shut up- yeah. In our world there are books about him, like he’s some fictional character.” 

 

“So he doesn't exist here? Wait- did you just say world? As in multiple worlds?” Lance shot up from his bunk, trying to trace the lines that made out Keith, who was lying on his back, arms behind his head, face staring at him. 

 

Keith made a smile, or so he would like to think since it was still too dark in their room, but he was able to catch traces of his lips quirking upwards.  

 

“Yeah. I’ve been told about different worlds. Like us, the Greek mythology world. There are those who have ancestors of Norse, Egyptian, maybe some of the minor mythologies too, like the native americans. It’s all really cool and fascinating. But this theory, one that Slav talked about once. He told me that there might be parallel universes, or different realities.” His smile had deepened into a toothy grin glinting from the moonlight that had shone into their room now, and Lance felt his heart flourish with a nice feeling. 

 

Lance kept quiet, waiting for Keith to continue.

 

“Anaklusmos, or Riptide as others like to call the bronze sword. It holds its own story, and when Slav took a good look at it, he meant it came from a different reality, since its mentioned in the books about that Percy guy. Having the real thing just proved that maybe different realities exist and Percy is a real person from a different universe who wielded Anaklusmos and saved all of New York City.” 

 

Lance’s brain was spinning faster. This was way too much to digest along with learning he was half god, and could summon a magical item from a different universe. He wondered how powerful the weapon might truly be, and how he-him of all people, just a random boy from New York City- could wield something so rare and special. 

 

“But how did it end up here. In our universe?” Lance decided to go with the flow and accept that different realities might exist. Like children of gods exist, why not parallel universes? 

 

“No one knows. One day it was resting on Slav’s desk in his tent, and he was having a field day when he learned it was  _ the _ Anaklusmos, all the markings and engravings on the pen fit with the description from the books and everything. Only problem was to summon forth the sword. Guess it was waiting for the right hero.” Keith’s smile had faltered still looking at Lance. 

 

Lance thought it all made perfect sense, but still. “Yeah, but what if this pen is the Riptide of this reality? Then the different reality theory will be proven wrong…” 

 

“Nope. It’s the real deal. It’s impossible to have more than one of the weapons of the Gods. Since the Gods are so powerful, they can tear their beings and exist in all realities. So if you were the son of poseidon, you and the Percy of the other reality would be your brother. Sort of like parallel brothers, if you understand where I’m getting at.” Keith made a cute snort at how that sounded, and Lance was happy it was dark in their room since he was sure his cheeks just flared a rosy color. 

 

Again, Keith and his ways of explaining things. Lance was mesmerized because all that did make sense. 

 

“I think I understand. Kind of cool.” Lance said with an interested tone, yawning a big yawn, finally feeling a tug in his eyelids. 

 

“So..” Keith spoke up, and caught Lance’s attention again, his voice a little sheepish. “I like to think that you might be the Percy of our reality.” 

 

And even if it were dark in their room, Lance wanted to think that Keith was blushing a bright red color, like him. Still, his words sparked a nauseating feeling in Lance’s gut. If he were the great Percy of this reality, then people’s expectations of him are going to skyrocket, and Lance didn’t like to have that kind of pressure on him.

 

What did he have to offer? He didn’t even know who his father was. 

 

\--

 

Morning shined through their window, and Lance thought he saw an older looking boy stand in front of the window, the rays of the sun glowing on his golden skin, his perfect golden curly locks shining almost blinding Lance. And when the boy turned to face him, Lance was speechless, he had to rub his eyes thinking he might have met his first God, but when he finished rubbing them, the older boy was gone, leaving rays of sunlight behind. 

 

Lance stared into space, trying to remember the face of the boy. It might have just been a dream or a trick of the sun light. Keith could see his father in his dreams, why not Lance? But who was he, and why did he remind him so much of himself?

 

The tan complexion, that mischievous smile, his long, lanky body. He was confident that he might have just seen a version of himself in the future. Except for the color of his hair. Lance’s hair was a chestnut brown color, and his hair didn’t curl like that boy’s did, and man what bounce they had, Keith’s cowlick flashed past at the thought. 

 

“Hey, golden boy. Breakfast. We’re going to break the campers into teams. Let’s go.” 

 

Keith was already awake. Wearing his orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt and black skinny jeans.  _ How can he walk in those without suffocating, _ Lance thought. 

 

He pulled on his own blue jeans, white sneakers and a crisp new orange t-shirt. Guess that was the only wardrobe option here, but Lance wouldn’t have minded different colors to switch things up a bit. 

 

Breakfast was a choice of assorted eggs, bacon, cereals, breads, and so much more than meets the blue eyes of Lance when he made his view to the breakfast area of Camp Half-Blood. 

 

Everyone at camp were sitting at their assigned godly parents table. So Lance made his way past the Hermes table, because he had decided that Hermes was not his father, and he did not want to associate with the rude children at the table, especially their head leader with the long, long white hair and evil smirk spread on his face. 

 

Lance found his seat across Keith on the Hades table. Keith had found a plain white piece of toast, fried eggs and a whole plate full of bacon. 

 

“Not wasting your time on protein, I see.” Lance commented, when he had gathered a half sliced grapefruit, a large glass of milk and a turkey sandwich. 

 

“Shut up, bacon fat is the best thing to ever exist, and I need to stock up before the games.” Keith took a large bite of his egg and bacon toast sandwich, eating it all in one go.   

 

Spectating the area surrounding the camp tables, Lance wondered where the games was going to be held. 

 

All around him he either found the cabins everyone lived in, Coran’s large tent, along with Slav’s next to his. There was a large two story house close to a hill which he felt curious to what or who was held in there, and why they didn’t have their meetings in there instead of in Coran’s man cave tent. 

 

Two claps sounded. 

 

“Alright, demigods! Today is the big game of capture the flag!” Coran shouted loudly for all of the, 100 or so campers, Lance presumed from his eye count, to pay attention to him. 

 

“We will have two team leaders, and then sort of split the lot in two. Those who still feel a tad bit under the weather or are still heavily injured from the last games, get to sit out and spectate. Now! Who shall we pick as team captains?” Coran made a panoramic view of all the camp tables. 

 

He pointed a finger at our table. “Keith! I want you as the red team’s leader.” Coran said happily. 

 

Keith only grunted his approval, crossing his arms and nodding at the centaur. But, Lance could see him already strategizing, thinking about who he wants on his team and how he’s going to lead them to victory. 

 

“And...I want Adam as the blue team’s leader! Now, it’ll take all day for our captains to choose their team so our early bird, Allura, has taken the opportunity to put a colored sticker under your breakfast plate.” 

 

Lance lifted his plate and noticed a red sticker stuck underneath. “Looks like we’re on the same team.” He smiled to Keith, trusting him to lead them to their victory. 

 

Keith made an appreciative nod at Lance and took a look around the breakfast site to see who else made eye contact with Keith to let him know they were on the same team. Shiro made a thumbs up his way, and the large boy, Hunk, waved both his arms in the air for Keith to see him, but no one could miss him from a mile away. 

 

“Once you’ve found your color, meet your team on each end of the battlegrounds and put a helmet on with the color of your team and find your weapon of choice. The games start at 1300 hours. Remember the rules. No maiming, no severe injuries, but don’t hesitate to injure and to use your powers! Have a great game everyone, I look forward to who comes out victorious this round.” And with that, Coran trots away probably to get ready to start the games when the time comes. 

 

“Come on. We need to see who’s on our team and talk strategy, we have two hours until it begins.” Keith pulled on Lance’s arm, and a slight tickle coursed through his arm as a smile made its way to his face, catching Keith stumbling at his wide smile. 

 

Being on the same team as Keith seemed highly reassuring, but knowing the rules were to not kill, maim or severely injure, worried Lance a smidge.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry it's been awhile since I've updated this fic, I've been so busy with writing so many other fics...I can't contain myself to sticking to only one fic at a time, I have too much Klance going on in my brain that I need to spill it all out before it disappears. :P 
> 
> I'm not sure how many more chapters I want to write in this fic, but there will be at least one more chapter. I do have like a whole plotline ready with a prophecy and quest ready but it would take a lot of my attention away from other fics I want to prioritze. 
> 
> I dunno, let me know what you want? Thanks for reading though!!!

To Lance’s perception, he had gathered that the battlegrounds for their game of capture the flag was all of the woods surrounding and stretching around Camp Half-Blood. 

 

He felt a slight beat of relief in his chest knowing that if he felt like chickening out from being the new kid and not having an ounce of battle tactic or a killing fury inside of him, he could find a nice hiding spot and wait out the game. 

 

Campers of all shapes, sizes, skin color and gender stood at their end of the battleground. Keith had his weapon already held up high for his team to see him and hear him out about how this was going to go down. 

 

His weapon of choice was a pitch-black colored sword, one that looked thinner than Lance’s sword, Riptide, and it looked like it was made from a different kind of metal. Lance had been told that his sword was made of a substance called celestial bronze, and could pretty much cut through any monster that crawled its way out of Tartarus. 

 

But, Keith’s sword looked like it fit perfectly in his hand as he held it up high, its black sheen color glinting wildly in the summer sun light. And Lance thought he could see a faint purple glow surrounding and coaxing from the black metal. He shook his head to think it was also his mind playing tricks on him again, but the purple glow remained being visible. 

 

 Violence was a word Lance would never think to be associated with. He liked to think of himself as someone of a heart full of gold, ready to help those in need instead of inflicting damage or pain on any others. Unfortunately, when someone worked him up to a boiling point, his ADHD would easily take over his body and show the other side what he could do. 

 

Holding the pen up to his face, the one and only Riptide, or as Keith liked to call it by its original name, Anaklusmos. Lance felt a new pang in his chest, thinking that this item was a one of kind weapon made by the Gods and knowing or wondering still, if it came from a different universe and actually belonged to the famous hero Percy Jackson, irked him. 

 

“Hey, golden boy! What’s on your mind? Thinking about jabbing someone with the pen?” Keith made a joke, an actual joke to lighten the mood. 

 

A gentle smile rested on Lance’s face when he held the pen out to Keith. “I don’t know If I’m cut out to be this grand hero you’re talking about, death boy. What if I screw this up and chicken out...losing the game for us all..how would that make me look!?” Lance’s legs were buckling with worry, and fright to let the team down even before they had gotten started. 

 

Keith made a crooked grin, a canine puncturing his bottom lip. Lance could feel his stomach making backflips at the confidence that was protruding from the black haired boy. He planted a firm gloved hand on Lance’s shoulder, shaking him to wake up. 

 

“Listen here, golden boy. You’re a demigod. You have gods’ blood coursing through your veins making you a hero whether you like it or not. It’s your job now to protect the mortals and the gods from monsters. You’re going to do great. You might seem a bit rusty in the start since this is all new, but once your body gets the hang of things, you’re going to find out how much easier this is than you thought.” 

 

Lance furrowed his thin brows, still not convinced. 

 

Keith made a loud sigh. “Seriously, your body is created to withstand these kinds of fights. You can’t cower, it’s not in your blood. Let me guess, you have ADHD?” 

 

Lance turned his head slightly, then dipping it slowly down to give him a curious nod. 

 

“See, we all have that. It’s so our bodies are always ready for a fight, ready to give a punch and a kick to beat the monsters and the enemy. You can never keep still! And I’m a million percent positive you have dyslexia too.” 

 

Keith made a cute chuckle when he caught Lance’s surprised look. 

 

“We all have dyslexia because our brain is wired to read ancient Greek, not English or other languages, so no wonder you’ve been out of it. I hope this information at least calms you a bit, and that you’re ready to fight this battle by my side? I have a feeling we’re going to be a good team, golden boy.” Keith slapped his hand a couple times on Lance’s shoulder. 

 

Now he wondered what happened to the Keith who was stubborn yesterday in the tent during introductions, and who replaced him with this battle ready, confident captain ready to kick some ass in capture the flag. 

 

Lance made the same crooked grin as Keith, his blue eyes electrifying to get this party started. “Thanks man. I think I feel better. Let’s show the other team who’s boss, and win all the glory!” 

 

“Good man.” Keith clapped his hands to gather the others close. 

 

\--

 

Shiro, Hunk, that Lotor kid Lance disliked from the Hermes cabin, a boy named James with brown spiky hair and a sly smile from the Athena cabin, all huddled close to Keith along with 40 other kids that Lance had lost track of their names because remembering names was just too hard. 

 

With their red centurion helmets on, bronze armour protecting their bodies and weapons at the ready, Keith made an approved smirk and nod to his head. “The plan is clear?” He asked the group, and everyone smiled back, holding their weapons ready to spread out when Coran sounded the horn. 

 

Regret was finding its way to Lance’s stomach when he made his way into the woods behind Keith. 

 

When they were choosing their weapons, Lance already had the pen in his pocket and he knew he would have to use it since the pen chose him, but there was a slight pull when he stared at a golden bow and arrows resting in the armory. For some reason, long distance weapon seemed like the right choice, and drew him closer and closer the more he stared at it. But, in the end, he wounded up patting his pocket and sticking to his sword. Maybe the bow just looked really nice and Lance had a feeling to admire it, instead of using it. 

 

They made it to their starting point, getting ready for the horn to blare. “Okay, so just follow me the whole way. Be on my six all the time, and knock down whoever comes after us. We need to get their flag before we shadow travel back to base and show em who’s the winner.” Keith made a thumbs up at Lance. 

 

Lance made a thumbs up back, locking his mouth trying to hide how shaky his jaw was. 

 

Keith drew his black sword out, holding it at arm’s length to keep Lance behind him, almost like he was protecting him even before the games started. 

 

The anticipation was getting to Lance, as he hovered his hand over his right pocket, ready to pull the pen out and uncap it Riptide. With his heart hammering like a jackhammer, his stomach doing tumbles and legs shaking like crazy, he hope the horn would just blare already so that they could get this whole game over with. 

 

“Any second now…” Keith whispered, and right on cue, a horn blared throughout the whole forest. 

 

“Come on!” Keith started running. 

 

Lance followed after him, and again, surprised dawned on him at how he was able to catch up to Keith’s agility. 

 

They spotted no one yet, but he knew they would soon arrive into enemy territory. Shiro was at their three o’clock, giving out a signal that the coast was clear. 

 

Hunk was back at their base with three other campers, protecting the flag. 

 

At their nine o’clock, James and Lotor made signals that they had spotted five campers from the enemy team, and made their way to close in on them. 

 

Within minutes, loud noises of weapons clashing and clanging sounded, causing Lance to feel terrified for his life, but he had to remember that he was camp, and that this was all just a game. 

 

Well, a games played between demigods who trained to kill monsters, so not that reassuring in other words. 

 

Keith made a signal to ignore them, and follow him. Lance noticed Shiro following on their trail from his spot in the woods. And in the distance, Lance could spot two enemy campers wearing blue centurion helmets, with spears and broadswords ready to fight with. 

 

They kept low, hiding behind a large boulder, as Shiro dashed forth with everything he got and wiped away their weapons in seconds. The enemy campers stayed put and Shiro waved for him and Keith to come over. 

 

Bad idea, Lance thought. He was standing with two of the enemy team, wouldn’t they have some sort of sneak attack on hand? 

 

“What did you get out of them?” Keith asked the beefy kid. 

 

Shiro made a smug face, his cat-eye looking perfectly drawn despite the fighting he just had with these two campers. “They said the flag is hidden behind the Big House. Adam is keeping it guard. I can make my way to him and charm speak him, but I don’t know if it’ll work on him, I’ve used all the charm I got on him.” Shiro made a dreamy expression. 

 

“Bad idea. I’m sure Adam is all charmed out by you. I’ll bring Lance and we can flank him, then we’ll just have to fight him with all we’ve got. Right, Lance?” Keith made a look at Lance, waiting for a reply. 

 

The use of his name instead of the nickname startled him when he replied all shaky, “R-right. Uhh-but isn’t he a son of Ares? He can crush us to a pulp!” Lance said, his worry encompassing his whole body. 

 

“When I give the word, uncap Anaklusmos, and we’ll both jump him with our swords. He’ll have to defend only one of us, then the other can grab the flag and run like a Titan is running after us.” Keith sheathed his black sword, fist bumping Shiro. “You keep guard from this point and stop anyone coming after us, bro.” 

 

Shiro nodded approvingly, giving Lance a wink of good luck. 

 

Lance made a weak smile back at the beefy boy, praying to the gods that he’ll survive this. “Come on, golden boy! We got a flag to capture!” Keith was already on the run, his speed bewildering Lance. 

 

“Enjoy this Keith while you can, Lance. He loves fighting. Makes sure he wins.” Shiro had a serious look when he said the last part. 

 

“What’ll happen if we lose?” Lance asked him, seeing Keith’s figure turning smaller and smaller in the distance. 

 

“Just make sure you guys win.” Shiro said again, and sprinted the opposite way ready to fend off the enemy. 

 

Lance made a groan, then started to run after the son of Hades. 

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Might set this as completed for the time being as I don't have time to continue this story right now. (Other projects to focus on...why do I do this to myself)
> 
> But I am planning on Lance's parent claiming him, and maybe a quest prophecy later for the story.

Lance spotted Keith hiding behind a large tree closeby the Big House as they called the house that Lance was curious about its containment. 

 

When Keith caught Lance’s gaze, he made a gesture with his hand to come closer. Lance looked down at the house, noticing a boy with brown and gold streaked hair, guarding a large blue flag next to him. He took the chance to run from the boulder he was hiding behind, and dart to Keith. 

 

“What do we do now?” Lance asked, sweeping his head from the tree to see if Adam was still there. 

 

Of course, he knew he was still there, but he was terrified that the son of Ares was going to trick them and jump them from behind. 

 

“We need to get to each side of the house, then close in on him with our swords. Now let’s go before someone sees us.” Keith drew his sword. 

 

They both heard a rustle behind them. “Spoke too soon, Keefy!” Allura charged in on them with her dagger, and cut Keith in the shoulder. 

 

He fell to the ground, holding his shoulder tight with his other hand, sword fallen out of said hand. 

 

“Keith!?” Lance shouted at the same time Allura shouted for Adam to run away with the flag. 

 

“Damn! Lance you need to follow them, and get that flag!” Keith ordered, but Lance shook his head rapidly, dragging Keith’s hand away from his bloodied shoulder. 

 

“No way, death boy. You’re wounded. We need to treat that. This is just a game!” 

 

“It’s not just a game, golden boy! Now go!!” 

 

“I won’t leave you.” Lance kept his hand pressed against the wound, praying for someone to hear him and heal this wound. 

 

Just then, a bright, warm light shone from the sky and down on to Keith’s wound. 

 

Lance’s hand glowed a golden color. “What’s going on?” 

 

Keith made a happy sigh. “Lance, you’re- it’s your power. You’re healing me…” 

 

And then when the light disappeared, and Lance’s hand stopped glowing, he pulled it away and Keith’s shoulder was as good as new. “No time to figure out what happened. I enough energy to shadow travel twice. We’ll catch up to Adam when I made the portal. Get Anaklusmos ready. When we reach Adam, he’ll get his shield ready. I want you to swing that sword as hard as you can on to that shield to distract him, then I’ll grab the flag and we’ll shadow travel once more to base.” 

 

Keith held his hands out ready to summon a portal. 

 

The familiar blackness of the shadow cloud appeared. This time, Lance didn’t hesitate. He uncapped his pen, and Riptide formed in all its celestial bronze glory. He held the handel with both his hands, giving Keith a confident smirk, the first one he made during the whole games. 

 

“Ready?” Keith asked, lowering one of his hands, hovering it at his own sword’s handle.

 

Lance nodded. “Ready.” 

 

And they both jumped through. 

 

\--

 

Keith was right. Adam could smell the portal a miles away, and had his shield up when Lance emerged from the shadow portal with Riptide held high. 

 

They clashed the second Lance jumped out, and Adam fell to the ground at the hard encounter. “Now, Keith!” Lance shouted out loud, and Keith darted for the blue flag, fending off Allura at the same time when she jumped him again with her dagger. 

 

Luckily, she was no match with her short dagger against Keith’s long black sword. He swiped once with the sword, and the dagger flew out of her hands when he grabbed hold of the blue flag. “Lance, I got! Come on!” Keith shouted back, urging him to sprint towards him while he made a new portal with one hand this time. 

 

Amazing. Keith was so amazing, Lance thought when he witness how much this boy could get done within the time span of twenty seconds. 

 

Lance had Riptide pressed hard against Adam’s shield while he lied on the ground, trying hard to retain his footing, but Lance felt a surge of power blooming through his whole body, like he did when he healed Keith’s wound. And he held Adam down once more when he pushed hard with Riptide, then made a run for it. 

 

“Nooo!” Adam screamed angrily, and Keith made a childish face at him before they both disappeared through the new portal. 

 

Hunk and the other campers were on the other side when Lance and Keith emerged again from the new portal. 

 

Lance grabbed hold of Keith when he noticed that he doubled over like he did when they first met, and grabbed his shoulder to sling over Lance’s shoulder and drag him up the hill with their opponent's flag. 

 

“I told you.” Keith said weakly, turning his face to Lance’s wearing a happy smile. 

 

Lance kept on dragging him up the hill taking in the roars of triumph from their team. “Told me what, death boy?” Lance said back all smug. 

 

He released Keith, who found his footing and plunged the enemy team’s flagpole into the ground next to their own flag, a wide, bright smile of victory spreading all over his fair face. Lance couldn’t explain what he was feeling when he noticed Keith basking in his victory, but he was happy that they won. 

 

“That we would make a good team.” Keith said at last, holding out his hand into a fist towards Lance. 

 

Lance smirked at the son of Hades and fistbumped him back. 


End file.
